Page - 15 - in JRFM - Journal Religion Film Media, Volume 05/02

John Lynch Mr Robot: Hacking the Apocalypse ABSTRACT This article is concerned with the American TV series Mr Robot (US 2015–2019) and its imaginative articulation of key theological and philosophical questions pertaining to au- thority, reality, and belief. Mr Robot is subject to an analysis that reflects its intellectual sophistication, visual and philosophical density, and operationalizing of an active and reflective audience. The article will investigate the philosophical disposition of the series protagonist and those questions of transcendence, truth, and existence, he raises, to interrogate something of the ontological disruptions initiated by digital media technolo- gies and the theological questions formulated within this process. The article considers the apocalyptic event around which the drama revolves as a system re-set and new beginning that is revealing of a certain kind of truth alongside the subject who speaks to this truth. It draws on theory from Gilles Deleuze and Pierre-Félix Guattari, Bernard Stiegler, Alain Badiou, and Catherine Keller. KEYWORDS Mr Robot, Apocalypse, Computer Hacking, The Event, Cryptography, Habit, Hope BIOGRAPHY John Lynch is Associate Professor of Film and Media Studies at Karlstad University, Swe- den. He has a forthcoming monograph to be published by Routledge on theological and philosophical themes in contemporary TV serial drama. INTRODUCTION “I’m only supposed to be your prophet. You’re supposed to be my god!”1 This article is concerned with the American TV series Mr Robot (US 2015–2019) and its imaginative articulation of key theological and philosophical questions pertaining to authority, reality, and belief.2 Mr Robot is a well-received and 1 Mr Robot to Elliot, Mr Robot 1.10 (00:38:19). 2 At the time of writing three seasons have been broadcast. DOI: 10.25364/05.05:2019.2.2 Mr Robot: Hacking the Apocalypse | 15www.jrfm.eu 2019, 5/2, 15–30